My Challenges For My Forum
by CinderPeltLover
Summary: Challenges I'm doing for the forum I'm admin of, WritingClan. Rated T because that's max for the forum's challenges.
1. Only Cinders Remain

**_Rated K-Plus_**

"Wetclaw, it's time."

I opened my eyes, looking for the voice. It was my former apprentice, Oakbreeze. I remembered now about my watch.

"Oh, yes, I'll get right to it." I gave a big stretch and yawned.

Oakbreeze purred. "A full day of sleep really can stop you from thinking. You don't need to start until the sun is completely down and the fire party has left."

I went to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a water vole. It was an easy find on such a nice day, but then I realized it was the only other thing in the pile except for fish. It was fresh and juicy. I almost felt bad for sleeping all day, until I reminded myself I would be up all night guarding the camp. At least, partially guarding the camp. I knew it was stupid because a growing fire was creeping toward the camp, and I was the only warrior assigned.

Rosestar flicked her black tail to beckon the warriors coming. Troutfrost, her deputy, was first, followed by many warriors and two apprentices. After they left, I dutifully placed myself at the entrance. I listened to the camp. Everyone had to be sleeping for me to sneak out. I was going to visit my mate, Cinder, a loner that lives just beyond a small meadow outside of the territory. I started to set out and I was at a stream on the far edge of the territory, but I was interrupted.

"Wetclaw, what are you doing?"

I spun around, afraid. Then I realized it was only Longkit. Even so, I had to think fast.  
"Look," I told him, "I can't tell you anything. This is secret." His eyes lit up with the word 'secret'.

"You can tell me!" he mewed.

"No, I can't." Wetclaw realized persisting would give him time to think.

"Why?" the kit whined.

He sighed. "All right, I'll tell you a little bit. I'm-"

"Are you on a secret mission to spy on rogues that might invade?"

Perfect! "Yes, I am. But don't tell anyone. Not even your mother or Rosestar."

"Why not?"

"Because they'll become very afraid. This can be our little secret. And while I'm away, do you want to guard the camp?"

His eyes lit up. "Would I!"

"Good. Now remember not to tell anyone."

"I promise!"

With that, I walked away.

* * *

"Cinder?" I called. A familiar gray-black she-cat padded forward.

She looked angry. "I told you not to come if there's a fire in the forest. Especially if you're the only one awake in the camp!"

"But who knows the next time I'll get to see you?" I replied. "Besides, it's just a Twoleg fire that got a bit out of control. It'll be reduced to ash in no time."

"If you're sure…"

"I'm positive. Now come on. Let's do it."

We did the common things we did at night. We ran in another meadow not so close to RiverClan, we fished, we groomed each other, and we looked at the stars. I looked around and saw the moon almost sunk and a tiny bit of dawn visible.

"I'd better go. Goodbye, Cinder." I touched noses with my mate and hurried back to camp so I wouldn't be noticed.

* * *

I was too late.

As I walked through the woods, I saw the trees charred ahead of me. I realized with a jolt that the fire had reached the camp. I ran faster than WindClan to reach it.

The whole thing was falling embers and soot. Only the trees survived, but they're barely sustaining. _Where's the Clan? _I thought frantically. I searched the territory and found them huddled up. I sighed I relief. "I thought you were all dead!"

"Where were you?" Troutfrost hissed.

Longkit jumped in front of me. "He was spying on rogues that were planning on attacking us!"

Rosestar stared at us. "You took a _kit _with you?"

"No! He followed me. I told him to keep it a secret." I glared at him.

"Wetclaw, there are no rogues planning to attack. What were you _really _doing?"

I knew I couldn't lie to her. I spilled everything.

Her eyes bore into me like golden flames. "Your mistake cost lives, Wetclaw."

My heart sank. "Who?"

Troutstream pushed forward a blackened she-cat. I didn't recognize her until I saw a patch of brown.

"Oakbreeze…" I moaned. "Who else?"

"She was expecting kits," he spat. "_My _kits."

I lowered my head in shame. This was my fault. "If you're going to kill me, make it quick."

Rosestar took over. "We aren't going to kill you. You're exiled. If you love a loner so much you'll sneak out of camp while being the only guard during a fire, you're more loyal to her than your Clan. Leave before we reconsider."

I walked away, feeling horrible. I should've done what Cinder told me to do and stay in camp.

I now had two things left: the cinders of my old life and Cinder.


	2. Poppystem's Revenge

**Guys of WritingClan, I know it seems like I used a few ideas from you, but I used ideas only from me.**

Poppystem was vigorously trying to groom her three rowdy kits. Their apprentice ceremony was today at sunhigh, which was only a moment away, and they spent the morning playing in the dust. That was typical of them.

"I'm so excited!" Juniperkit squealed.

"Me too!" Grasskit agreed.

Soon, Reedstar was on the Tallrock. "Grasskit, Juniperkit, and Gustkit, please come!" he announced.

"Go make Waspnose proud," Poppystem whispered to herself. Waspnose was her mate and he was killed in the greencough epidemic that happened just before the kits were born.

"Grasskit, from this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Grasspaw. Heatherheart, you need your first apprentice and you are just as energetic as Grasspaw, so you will mentor her. Make her an excellent moor-runner.

"Juniperkit, from this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Juniperpaw. Stormclaw, you are a good mentor and you are fit enough to keep up with Juniperpaw, so you will mentor him. I trust you will make him an outstanding moor-runner.

"Gustkit, from this day forward, you will be known as Gustpaw. Snowpetal, you asked for Gustpaw, so you will mentor him. I suppose you trust in yourself enough to make him a fine tunneler.

"I also have a very urgent matter to discuss. ShadowClan has marked our territory around Fourtrees as their own. They have very clearly showed all signs of trespassing. I want Featherstripe, Grayfall, Larkheart, Thornface, Smallpad, Bouldersong, Applepaw, and Sandpaw to come with me and fight them off our territory!"

"When?" Sandpaw asked. Poppystem could tell she was excited; this was her first battle.

"Right as the sun is beginning to rise."

* * *

All night, there was talk about the battle.

"Why can't we go?" Juniperpaw asked. His ginger tabby fur was ruffled with discontent.

"I know!" Gustpaw agreed. "We're apprentices now! Applepaw and Sandpaw are going, so why can't we?"

"Yeah!" Grasspaw joined in. Her green eyes were bright with fury.

"Because you're not old enough," Stormclaw answered. "The only things you three've done so far is get a new name, move out of the nursery and whine. You need training before you can fight."

Gustpaw huffed in disappointment. "But Applepaw and Sandpaw-"

"They've been apprentices for almost four moons. They know enough about fighting that they can."

"It's still not fair," Juniperpaw complained.

"Well that's just too bad, my apprentice."

* * *

The day of the battle had arrived. Everyone was excited and chatting, including the cats going.

"Wish me luck!"

"If I don't come back with a clump of fur of three ShadowClanners, I'll go back to apprentice duties for a moon!"

"Pebblewhisker, I'll claw open Briarclaw for you." Poppystem could tell that was Applepaw; her mentor was Pebblewhisker and Pebblewhisker was taken in as a rogue kit that Poppystem cared for in her first litter. Briarclaw, then Briarpaw, was chasing her and her mother and brother. Briarpaw 'accidentally' killed them and gave Pebble, her name at the time, fatal wounds you could still see today. She only had one ear.

* * *

After a long time, the patrol returned at sunhigh. Everyone held their breath as Reedstar climbed the Tallrock.

"WindClan, we are victorious!" he yowled. The entire camp burst into cheering.

The celebration was still going that night. Finally, it ended and everyone had to sleep.

At around moonhigh, Poppystem heard a faint crunching sound near the apprentices' den. _It's just a cat going to the dirtplace_, she thought. She looked out, just to be absolutely sure. _Wait, who is that?_ It wasn't a WindClan cat, that was for sure. It was leading – her kits! – out of the camp. She quietly followed.

The cat led them to the gorge. She could hear them say "Isn't it beautiful? It always is at night. You can get closer than a fox-length, Grasspaw. Do what your brothers are doing!" She began to shiver. _How does he know my kits' names?_

The cat jumped down from a boulder it was perched on and snuck up behind Gustpaw. With a mighty push, they shoved bulky Gustpaw off the cliff. He could barely yowl before he was sucked under the foaming torrent.

Juniperpaw and Grasspaw huddled together, far away from the edge. "You aren't Thornface," Juniperpaw breathed.

The cat chuckled. "ShadowClan knows no shame." They grabbed Juniperpaw and dragged him towards the cliff. They were simply able to throw him off because he was so small. They began to walk calmly toward quaking Grasspaw when Poppystem jumped out because she recognized the cat.

"Shadefrost!" she yowled, her claws digging into earth.

"Oh, hello," he replied calmly, quickly stepping to Grasspaw, who was too scared to even call out to her. The big tom towered over Grasspaw, even when he was sitting down. "Is there a problem?"

The way the ShadowClan deputy was so calm infuriated her. She burst toward him, and he dropped Grasspaw into the gorge and began running, but Poppyfrost caught up to him easily. She grabbed him and dragged him toward the gorge. This was easy because he was large, but she was larger and a tunneler.

Instead of dropping him into the gorge,

she jumped in with him,

and watched the water get closer and closer,

until they collided with it.

**LOL I went 125 words over the minimum. Well, that's actually not much, so it's okay.**


End file.
